This flickr serves to document my self-experience in wearing the German military Zodiak protective suit and to cause further discussion on why the Zodiak did not become a standard in the army.

 

The CBRN suit Zodiak is a multipart protective suit of the German Federal Armed Forces manufactured from sturdy butyl rubber. The principle and construction is quite simple.

 

However, the suit was not supplied to all soldiers, especially not to combat units. It is worn by the CBRN defense troops during decontamination activities or similar.

 

But why?

 

Let's have some look at the suit's advantages - and disadvantages.

 

The suit consists of a pair of rubber flap trousers, a rubber top with fixed hood, rubber gloves and rubber boots. Combined with two metal bootleg rings and the standard Gasmask M65 we have the completed CBRN protection system. That's all. Furthermore there are no sensitive components on the suit like zippers, which might break or leak when strained during combat activity.

 

The trouser's legs are pulled outward over the boots. The Metal rings are inserted into the bootlegs to stabilize and strengthen those in order to have a firm and gas-tight connection with the trouser's flexible rubber hem after pulling up the trousers. This compound is by most users considered as the great weak point of the Zodiak, since there often occur leaks while the Zodiak is worn.

 

The pants are connected to top by a roll closure. The Pants and the top each are equipped with an rubber apron, which are wrapped lying one on another. This wrapping is best to be done in comrade or buddy aid. However, the rubber wrap is considered as a robust and dense solution without any damageable moving parts like a zipper.

 

In the head cover of the top are three openings separated by rubber webs that can be drawn over the edges of the eye glasses and the filter connection and exhalation valve of the NBC protective mask M65 to give a gas-tight connection to the mask. The M65 mask was - unlike the Zodiak - personal basic equipment of every German soldier.

 

With some inaccuracy of fit the hood can also used wearing the upgraded combat Mask M65z, which next to the filter connecting has a connector for a drinking valve. The latter combination can be used to extend the possible action time wearing the Zodiak suit through intermediate hydration.

 

The gloves manufactured from flexible thinner rubber are pulled onto the stiffened arm ends of the top part of the suit creating a tight connection.

 

But what about the disadvantages?

 

Above I pointed out the leaking connection from boot to pants. But couldn't that be fixed by a permanent sealing?

 

Furthermore the suit does not offer any bullet or splinter protection. But can't we add an external splinter resistant shield, helmet and similar devices?

 

Furthermore, as the most important disadvantage is named the limited time of use. The limitation to a maximum of 120 minutes is due to the physical stress caused by the heavy tightly sealed rubber encasement which - of course - does not allow any breathability or ventilation to remove heat from the soldier's body.

 

But is there no solution? Can that problem be solved by training and inurement of the wearer?

 

Let's find out about that ...